Strasbourg description. What to see in Strasbourg

Still tormented by questions: what to do in Strasbourg and what to see here? Let's find a use for this city other than filing an application with the Strasbourg Court of Human Rights. You can go to Strasbourg from Paris for 1 day. The journey takes less than 2 hours. Train tickets to Strasbourg can be found here.

View the Cathedral

Cathedral North Dame de Strasbourg is one of the city's main attractions. This beautiful gothic church original pink-brown color, with only one tower. Notre Dame itself is beautiful, and the area around it is wonderful. But go inside and go deeper, there you will find an ancient clock that shows not only the time, but also the month, year, zodiac sign, planetary position, and a small show every half hour.

We also advise you to climb observation deck Cathedral. From here it opens up very good view to Strasbourg. Just remember. That you have to climb on foot. The entrance to the climb is on the right side of the cathedral.

Ride along the canals on a river bus

The river bus in Strasbourg practically replaces a city tour. You will sail along the canals and see almost all the main attractions of the capital of the Alsace region. There is also an audio guide in Russian. Which is compiled extremely well and interestingly, although not without inaccuracies. In addition, during the excursion you will find several surprises: locks and movable bridges.

For more information about the excursion, read “Ride on a water bus in Strasbourg.”

Try local cuisine

Strasbourg is an amazing mixture of different cultures. This can be seen in the appearance of the city, but also noticeable in its cuisine. For example, choucroute is considered the main Alsatian dish. Shukrut is pickled fried cabbage with different types of meat. This dish is rather German, and it is served with beer. IN good restaurant It’s better to take one for two, otherwise you won’t be able to handle it. Foie Gras and sweet white wine are also inventions of the people of Strasbourg and we recommend you try them.

Read more about Alsatian cuisine in our article.

Have a coffee or dinner in Petite France

Petite France is the most beautiful area of ​​the city. There may not be the most pleasant story associated with it, but now it’s very nice to stop or take a walk here. Choose a cafe overlooking the canal and enjoy the beauty around you!

Walk from France to Germany and back

Strasbourg is located right on the border with Germany. They even built here pedestrian bridge across the Rhine, connecting the two states. Residents of the city and tourists love to stroll through it, quite legally violating the border. In addition, there are parks on both sides, and on the German side there is a small cozy city ok Kel.

The best way to get to the Bridge of Europe is by bicycle, which you can rent, or by bus number 21.

Have a picnic in the Orangery

Strasbourg is rich in its parks. But the favorite among city residents is the Orangerie. It was built by order of Napoleon for his wife, Josephine. She never stopped here, but the park remained for the people of Strasboug. There is beautiful landscape architecture and something is blooming all the time. And having a picnic in this garden is a pleasure.

View list of events

Strasbourg is one of the three capitals of the European Union. In honor of this and more, a mass of interesting events. The main Christmas markets open in the city in due course, a fountain festival, a street theater festival and much more take place. Before traveling to Strasbourg, it is better to check if there is anything interesting today.

Stay in the old part of the city

Settle in the very center of the city - on an island. It may be more expensive than other areas of Strasbourg, but it is much more pleasant. Old city is not only an amazing architectural style, but also a garden city. Magnolias and flower beds bloom here, and residents decorate their windows and balconies with flowers. This is one of the most picturesque corners of France.

Visit one of the museums in Strasbourg

Strasbourg is rich in its museums. The best of them are the Museum of the History of the City, the Alsace Museum and the Museum of Modern Art. There are quite interesting collections and a lot of interactive things here. This won’t take much time, but it will leave a pleasant feeling.

Enjoy your stay in Strasbourg!

Europe has its own capital. It is located in the prefecture of the Bas-Rhin department and is at the same time historical capital French Alsace. This Strasbourg.

This is where European institutions such as Council of Europe(since 1949), European Parliament(since 1979) and European Court of Human Rights. Strasbourg was founded in the 13th century and covers an area of ​​78 square meters. km. Now they live here about 300 thousand Human.

"Main" European city In many of its features it resembles the famous French pastry - it is so diverse, cunningly wise and touristy.

Pages of history

Here Johannes Gutenberg invented and created printing press, A Paracelsus treated the sick and poor for free long before the advent of health insurance.

Studied at the University of Strasbourg Goethe, and Pasteur selflessly pasteurized champagnes and cognacs.

A man in love with Josephine left the Rogan Palace for the battle of Austerlitz Bonaparte, the incomparable Mozart gave his concerts in the Church of St. Thomas. And the famous "Marseillaise" Roger de Lisle wrote not at all in Marseille, but here in Strasbourg.

The history of the city is rich and interesting. And that's why UNESCO took Strasbourg under his wing.

In fact, this is the entire center, which represents Big Island . The island is cut up and down by the canals of the Il River.

This is the concentration of almost all the most significant attractions of Strasbourg: the quarter "Little France", covered bridges with towers, palaces and museums. The spire rises up here Cathedral.

What is a must-see in Strasbourg?

Ponts couverts or Covered bridges- in the past part of the city fortifications. Panoramas of Strasbourg with views of covered bridges with watchtowers, the most postcard-like and replicated place in the city.

At first, there was a wooden roof over the bridges, which was dismantled after the defensive value of these structures was lost. And the bridges themselves have since been rebuilt.

Now they are completely made of stone, but the name stuck and remains. Now there are four square towers on this site, the bases of the two central ones are made in the form of bastion fortifications.

If you want to receive a “postcard” taken with your own hands, then it is best to do this from the panoramic observation deck Barrage Vauban - Vauban dams. From there you have a wonderful view of the bridges and the entire city center.

Strasbourg Cathedral Notre Dame

Famous writers and poets expressed their admiration for this architectural masterpiece in different ways. Goethe called the cathedral "exalted tree of God" and every day, in order to overcome his fears, he climbed its bell tower. Goethe spoke of the tallest temple of those times as a kind of “giant, delicate miracle.”

In terms of height among all the temples in the world, this is a building with a high 142 meters The spire is now the sixth, and for several centuries the cathedral was the highest example of spiritual architecture.

The temple owes its unique pink hue to sandstone from the Vosges quarry located nearby. The cathedral spire is one of the most recognizable landmarks in Strasbourg, France.

Come see the cathedral during sunset. At this time, the temple looks most impressive, especially its western facade. It is literally “covered” with thousands of stone ornaments and sculptures.

The cathedral is open to visitors on weekdays from 7 to 19 hours with a one-hour break. Opening hours on Sunday - from 12 to 18. You can climb to the observation deck of the tower from 9 to 17 V summer days and from 10 a.m. in winter. The cost of tickets to the observation deck is 4.6 euros, students and children - 2.3 euros.

Rogan Palace

Palais Rohan - Rogan Palace- a wonderful architectural monument in the Baroque style. Built in 1731-1742 designed by Robert de Cotte.

The palace “sheltered” three large and important museums in Strasbourg. Exhibits are located in the basement Archaeological Museum, and the top three occupy Museum of Applied And Museum visual arts .

The walls of the Rogan Palace literally breathe history. At various times, King Louis XV and Queen Marie Antoinette, Emperor Napoleon I and both of his wives, and the French King Charles X. visited here. During German rule, the building housed various imperial museums and an art gallery.

During the Second World War, Palais Rohan was heavily damaged and restoration work lasted several decades. The work was completed only in the 90s of the last century.

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Museum of Fine Arts

The museum was founded in 1973. In 1998 he moved to a new building in the Rogan Palace. It houses a large collection of works of art, ranging from the impressionist era (since 1870) to the present day.

Painting, graphics, sculpture and multimedia art are also permanent exhibits international exhibitions which take place in the museum. It has its own library, cinema and cafe.

Working hours:

• Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday - from 11 to 19
• Thursday - from 12 to 22
• Sunday - from 10 to 18

Kammerzell House

Maison Kammerzell - Kammerzell's house- one of the best examples of half-timbered architecture. Located in the old town, in the very center.

In its stone basement there was a shop back in the 15th century, and half-timbered walls with intricate carvings appeared in 1589. Now there is a restaurant in the basement of the building, and a small hotel is located on the upper floors.

Alsace Museum

On embankment of St. Nicholas(Quai saint-Nicolas, 23-25) located Alsace Museum. In the exhibition of recreated ancient dwellings, you can get acquainted with the traditional Alsatian way of life and see the interiors that at different times were characteristic of the inhabitants of the Vosges valleys, agricultural and wine-growing areas, and see the workshops of artisans.

European institutions

Building European institutions, located in Strasbourg, in addition to their political significance, are also interesting for their architecture and have cultural significance. You can sign up for an excursion in each of them, but this must be done in advance.

Address of the European Court of Human Rights: Leblois Boulevard, 1; 67000, Strasbourg, France.

Gastronomic attractions of Strasbourg

It is worth coming to the capital of Europe in order to appreciate its unique and inimitable gastronomy. French sophistication, combined with German quality, “gave birth” to the most delicious cuisine on the continent.

As a result, the streets of Strasbourg are crowded with restaurants (here they are called winstrubs), like the Euro parliament with deputies.

The main “folk” dishes in Strasbourg are French foie gras, wonderful German fried sausages, sauerkraut with meat - Shukrut.

And if all this is “correctly” washed down with Alsatian wine, then your stomach will never start playing “Marseillaise”. Alsace white wines are recognized as the best in all of France. They go wonderfully with real royal delicacies, for which Strasbourg is also famous.

If you are short on time and have no time for restaurant gatherings, seeing the city quickly and in an unusual atmosphere will help water bus. And you will sail from dam to dam, visiting the main attractions one by one.

There are many dams in Strasbourg due to the elevation changes. Once upon a time this was used to build mills, and now these mills are used... for a luxurious, colorful hotel.

Strasbourg Christmas

December Rhine steel coldly shines. But from the very beginning of the month, the reflections of bright lights and fireworks begin to warm it.

It is in the city that Christmas markets begin, which amaze even many travelers who have seen them with their scale. This fair event has been going on for almost four and a half centuries. Fairs occupy the entire center with their tents and stages and fill the air with the smell of spices and hot wine.

And on Square Kléber Every year a huge “Euro-Capital” Christmas tree is installed.

And on this page read about the most famous places Nice.

At this address http://euro-tour.net/germany/shopping-v-germanii/chto-iz-ger.html see tips on choosing souvenirs in Germany.

Photos of some sights of Strasbourg

But it doesn’t matter at all what time of year fate or chance will throw you into this cocktail city of intertwined cultural and historical attractions inherent in two countries at once - France and Germany.

Here you can always get real pleasure just wandering around narrow streets, ancient bridges spanning the Rhine, floating along picturesque canals. And deeply “inhale the smells” of European history.

You, of course, have repeatedly heard about Strasbourg as the city where the headquarters of the Council of Europe, the European Parliament and the European Court of Human Rights are located. But Strasbourg is also beautiful city in the western part of France and in the heart of Europe, with a long history and an interesting selection of attractions. The city belongs to Alsace - now only historical region, and earlier (until 2016) - to the administrative region of France.

Unique Strasbourg, its heritage and attractions with photos and descriptions

An area called "Petite France"

Ancient architecture

• The most famous of Strasbourg's attractions is its historical center - the area called "Petite France", which is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. This is a charming place, full of romance, with the unique architecture of half-timbered (frame with characteristic paneling on the walls) houses, with covered bridges across the channels of the local Il River. There are many flowers here - in the flower beds and on the balconies of houses. What remains from the ancient defense structures of the 13th-17th centuries are four towers and Vauban's dam (dam) that are interesting for tourists.
• Strasbourg Cathedral is a delightful structure built during the 12th-15th centuries to replace the ancient Roman altar that was located here. The building is unusual in its asymmetry - only one of its two towers was completely built, and thanks to its height (142 m), the Cathedral was considered the tallest in Europe for a long time (until the 20th century). Inside there are magnificent interiors with sculptural ensembles, tapestries, multi-colored stained glass windows and an astronomical clock showing the signs of the zodiac and the orbits of the planets. Unforgettable impression produces the sound of an 18th century organ.
• Next to the Cathedral is the Rohan Palace, the residence of the Bishop of Strasbourg - a characteristic example of the Baroque style of the 18th century. The building was later used as the residence of the King of France. Now there are museums here - archaeological, fine and applied arts.
• Next door you can see the half-timbered Kammerzell House of the 16th century, which stands out for its unusual architecture: the ground floor is stone, the next three floors are wooden, and then there is a three-level roof, with frescoes and wooden sculptures located along the facade.
• In the center of Strasbourg, on the embankment, there is the Church of Saint-Thomas, which belongs to the Alsace Gothic architectural style. In the church there is a crypt with the remains of the French military leader Maurice of Saxony, as well as an ancient organ, the keys of which were touched by the hands of the great Mozart. If you're lucky, you can catch one of the organ concerts that sometimes take place here. The church is a large active Protestant parish. On the Republic Square there are interesting buildings of the Opera, the Prefecture and the Rhine Palace.

Rohan Palace

Monuments of Strasbourg

• The statue of General Jean Baptiste Kleber is installed in the square named after him, which is the central and largest in Strasbourg. The commander himself is buried here. Place Kléber traditionally hosts all official city events.
• On Gutenberg Square there is a monument to the first printer Johannes Gutenberg, who lived for some time in Strasbourg, invented and launched a machine for casting type (letters) for printing here. The City Hall building is also located on the square.
• The monument to the fallen in the center of Republic Square is buried in magnolia flowers in the spring.
• The installation “With Europe in the Heart” by artist L. Cerin is located in front of the headquarters of the European Parliament.

Museums of Strasbourg

• The Strasbourg Historical Museum, located in a former 19th-century butcher's shop;
• a museum dedicated to the construction of the Cathedral;
• Alsace Art Museum;
• Modern Art Museum;
• Archaeological Museum;
• Museum of Applied Arts (porcelain, earthenware, ceramics);
• Museum of Fine Arts (works by Raphael, Gioto, Botticelli, Goya);
• museum of cartoons by Tomi Ungerer.

Modern Strasbourg

Strasbourg is one of the centers of the European Union; the offices of its main institutions are located here:

• European Court of Human Rights;
• Council of Europe;
• European Parliament.

All of them definitely attract attention with their unusual Art Nouveau architecture and the brilliance of their glass facades.
You can also take a tour inside these buildings by registering in advance.
On the neighboring streets there are embassies of some countries, which can be seen while walking.
Unique geographical location Strasbourg - in France, but practically on the border with Germany, became the prerequisite for the construction here of the symbolic "Bridge of Europe" across the Rhine River, connecting the banks of France and Germany - along it you can walk from one country to another. Modern Strasbourg is rightfully considered one of the educational and intellectual centers of Europe. The second most important and level university in France operates here, one of the oldest - Goethe, for example, studied here. The number of students studying here is about 40 thousand people.

Parks of Strasbourg

The city is famous for its delightful parks, including:

• the Orangerie park with beautiful landscapes, built by order of Napoleon for Josephine;
• Citadel Park;
• park with storks, next to the PACE building;
• Botanical Garden near the University;
• a beautiful park on Republic Square;
• parks on both sides of the “Bridge of Europe”.

What can a tourist see in Strasbourg in 1 day?

Cathedral

It is better to immediately plan to spend this day without a car - most of the streets in the center of Strasbourg are pedestrian, it is very pleasant to slowly walk along them, observing the local attractions.

So, I advise you to examine (in this order):

• covered bridges, watchtowers and the Vauban Dam with panoramic platform upstairs;
• Tanners' house;
• Church of Saint Thomas;
• Gutenberg Square;
• Cathedral with inspection of the interior of the building and ascent to the observation deck;
• Kammerzell's house;
• Rohan Palace;
• City Hall building, Republic Square;
• buildings of the headquarters of the European Institutes, a pedestrian bridge over the Rhine;

If you have time, you can see one of the city’s museums, take a walk in the park, or go on an excursion along the canals of the Il River on a pleasure boat.

Where to go with children in Strasbourg

• Visit children's center Le Vaisseau in the Neudorf district.
• Ride the big, colorful carousel at Gutenberg Square.
• See the astronomical clock in the Cathedral with figures of the apostles moving out every hour.
• Take a ride on a river bus.
• Rent bikes and ride around the city center, there are many bike paths.
• Take a walk near the turtle pond in Ciutadella Park.

In addition, throughout the city you will find children's playgrounds and sports grounds, and most restaurants and cafes will offer a separate menu for children.

Video review of Strasbourg attractions

Especially for you, we have selected a short but vivid video about the main attractions of Srasbourg.

https://youtu.be/PqrfV9Xru2M

Having seen the sights in Strasbourg, it’s time to get acquainted with its surroundings, because they are conducive to an interesting and eventful holiday. Alsace is a predominantly wooded and quite picturesque area for. There are many small cozy towns here, you can easily go on a trip to one of them. Along the route there are private wineries with vineyards, most of which will gladly offer you a tour with tasting. Tours of the surrounding castles are very interesting, despite the fact that some of them are in a destroyed (completely or partially) state. Small boat cruises along the local rivers Ile and Rhine will also be interesting.
This is what Strasbourg is like. The center of European politics, a historical city and at the same time a homely city for a city that you will surely remember for a long time. Did you like it in Strasbourg? What interesting things did you see?

Strasbourg, despite its rough sound, is a city in France, and not Germany, as many mistakenly believe. This is the capital of Alsace and a real mirror of the history and mood of the entire region. The city has an incredible variety of attractions, museums and significant buildings, and each house is an unsurpassed architectural work of art. There are places where life is always in full swing, as well as the most calm and peaceful corners in all of Europe.

What sights to see in the city in 1 day

For detailed study All attractions require a fair amount of time, but not everyone can afford it. If you only have a day or two to travel, there are several good routes.

Take your time to walk around famous squares and visit Petite France. If you are interested in museums, then you need to go straight to the Rogan Palace and explore all the museums there. You can hire a guide or tour guide who will briefly and succinctly tell you a lot of interesting things.

All visitors to Strasbourg should definitely visit the famous palace

What to see in the vicinity of Strasbourg

Strasbourg is a beautiful and interesting city. However, no less interesting are the small and quiet towns located in the vicinity of the capital.

Colmar, Mulhouse, Saverne and many others may be small relative to the capital, but each of them has an incredible atmosphere and each of them was once famous for one craft or another. In addition to them, there are many ruins, old temples and castles in the surrounding area. For example, Château du Haut-Koenigsbourg, this castle is the best preserved of all.

Château du Haut-Koenigsbourg - a beautifully preserved ancient castle

Beautiful places for photo sessions

If you want to do a lot besides travel interesting photos, then there will be no problems with this. This city is so unusual and picturesque that any street can become a wonderful backdrop or the subject for a photo.

Behind unusual photographs you can safely go to Petite France, because every house there is like a work of art. Notre Dame Cathedral and Rohan's Palace are the most incredible buildings in the whole city. The local Il River, which is very beautiful at any time of the year, can also serve as an excellent backdrop.

Of course, Strasbourg is not as beautiful and popular as Paris, Marseille or Nice, but even here tourists will not be disappointed.

On the Il River there is an ancient building, which was once one of the most important in the city. The fact is that this dam was a defensive fortress with a special function. In addition to its usual defensive and fortifying capabilities, the dam was intended to regulate the water level in the river and tributaries.
If necessary, the water level rose, and the approaching enemies could not transport their troops and equipment mobile. The French soldiers took advantage of this during the war, occupying an advantageous position. Now there is a small museum and observation deck for tourists.




One of the main squares, which has remained virtually unchanged and has retained its original historical appearance.
The square is surrounded by various ancient buildings and boasts frequent famous farmers' markets, where farmers from the outskirts bring their products and delicacies to treat everyone, of course, not for free.




It doesn’t matter if you arrived in the city by train or not, but the main city Train Station you simply must visit. This is an incredible architectural creation that simply needs to be seen in person.
The station was often rebuilt and reconstructed. It suffered its most serious damage during the war between France and Prussia. Recently, a simple station building, practically no different from most buildings in the city, was equipped with a glass dome, which gave the building a fatalistic feel.






In addition to a huge variety of museums and monuments, the city can delight the youngest visitors to Strasbourg. The children's science center "Le Vaisseau" has several floors with various interesting activities, where you can learn the laws and conduct an unimaginable variety of experiments with your own hands.
Before visiting, remember that it will most likely take you the whole day, because it is very difficult to pick up children from there later.

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  The European Parliament building from the outside resembles the famous Tower of Babel

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There is a lot in Strasbourg architectural monuments old Europe, but this city also boasts modern buildings that can be called the heritage of the country. One of these structures is the building of the European Union, similar to the famous “Tower of Babel”.
The Council of Europe meets in this building. Anyone can get here for free, you just need to sign up in advance.




In the ancient times of Strasbourg it flourished due to river trade. The appearance of customs at that time was a simple necessity.
During World War II, the building was damaged by bombing, but later it was restored and restored to its former appearance. Now it is an old museum where you can learn about the trade industry and the work of the old customs house.






If you are interested in the detailed history of the City from the distant Middle Ages to the present day, then there is an excellent place for you, namely the Strasbourg Historical Museum.
Here are collected like huge installations of rooms and houses different eras, as well as individual historical fragments of urban culture. There are excursions around the museum and it’s a pleasure to watch the work and efforts of the guides; not everywhere they tell about their history.

Alsace Museum




Strasbourg, as the capital of the Alsace region, simply cannot do without the main historical and cultural center, where the centuries of this beautiful region will be collected.
Here you can see the city in its old appearance and see many things memorable for those times. This is one of the most significant museums nationally and is of incredible historical value.




If Strasbourg itself is a historical monument of old France, then the European Quarter is the center of all modern buildings.
Here someone is always in a hurry somewhere and everything is filled with futuristic and unusual buildings. There are also important political buildings, as well as many sports and entertainment complexes. This is one of the most modern places in all of Alsace.






Each of the squares of this ancient city has its own unique feature, which distinguishes it from all the others and captures the attention of tourists.
Place Kleber is the largest in the city, and on one of the most important holidays, Christmas, the largest Christmas tree in all of Alsace is installed here.




Republic Square is probably the oldest and beautiful square throughout Strasbourg. All because of the incredible architecture of the parks and buildings that are surrounded by the square.
Here you can see a lot of real amazing buildings and monuments that evoke indescribable emotions. This square and park often attract talented artists who try to capture the local beauty in all colors.




Among the wide variety of significant squares in Strasbourg, there is one that is the very best among all - Place Gutenberg.
Back in the 14th century, it was here that the very first book printing press was invented, and now there is a majestic monument to the famous inventor. Also, entertainment attractions are often installed on the square and interesting events are held.






In the basement of the Rohan Palace there is one of the largest and most important historical museums in France, which is dedicated to a variety of local finds dating back to the 16th century.
Here you can see both fragments of ancient paintings and books, and entire architectural exhibitions of unpreserved cathedrals and residential buildings. There are educational tours around the museum, where they tell in detail both about the exhibits and about life in the palace and the formation of the collection. You can study everything yourself, no one will stop you.




There are many museums in the Rohan Palace, each more interesting than the last, and the most sophisticated is the Museum of Fine Arts.
Ancient paintings and sculptures of famous French artists and sculptors are collected here. As soon as you arrive in the city, everyone highly recommends visiting several places, and this museum is one of the most recommended.




In the heart of craftsmanship, in the Petite France quarter, there is a striking example of old architecture. The tanners' house is one of the few surviving houses in the half-timbered style.
Tanners and tanners used to work here, after which this building was bought many times, and now there is a restaurant and several residential apartments.






Among the rather ordinary buildings of Strasbourg, there is one that is very different and famous throughout the city - the Kammerzell House.
It is a special monument from the late German Gothic period and is made in excellent timber frame architectural style. But unlike similar houses, its facade is decorated with many carved elements, each of which symbolizes something. Usually bridges and watchtowers are admired from afar, but couples like to come here to declare their love for each other. They are also often the subject of sketches by visiting artists. In the center of the city there is a delightful and majestic building, which is of particular importance for all of Alsace, and all of France. Petite France is the famous Strasbourg quarter, where tanners once lived

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  All buildings of the quarter are still preserved and maintained in a unique Alsatian style

Petite France is an ancient quarter that used to be a center for crafts. Here were the houses of artisans and craftsmen of various directions, for which the city became famous.
Now it's the quietest and quiet place almost all of France. In this quarter there are still various workshops and shops that make souvenirs. Better places You just can't find one for romantic walks.

Strasbourg Cathedral or Notre Dame Cathedral is a grandiose building and the most incredible in all of France.
After it was built, for two hundred years it was considered tallest building planet, and is still considered the largest, built of sandstone. In addition to its inimitable architecture and majestic view, inside the cathedral there is a unique astronomical clock, which, in addition to the time, shows the location of almost everything celestial bodies solar system.

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Notre Dame Cathedral in Strasbourg

Strasbourg, Place de la Cathedrale

For two centuries, Strasbourg Notre Dame was the tallest cathedral in the world. This is one of the largest sandstone buildings in Europe. But what really amazes the imagination about the cathedral is not so much its size as the stunning detailing of the decoration.

• Many people traveling through Alsace pass by Strasbourg, thinking that there is nothing to see in this capital city. Unforgivable mistake! Strasbourg is amazingly rich, beautiful and interesting. There are enough museums for cultural education, walking places for mental and physical relaxation, and authentic curious streets and buildings in order to absorb the special atmosphere of this city. After all, Strasbourg is almost Paris, only it is smaller, warmer and more intimate.

  The main and unsurpassed attraction of the city is the Notre Dame Cathedral. It is impossible to believe in it, it is impossible not to admire it, it is impossible to miss it.

  The main and unsurpassed attraction of the city is the Notre Dame Cathedral. It is impossible to believe in it, it is impossible not to admire it, it is impossible to miss it. Other important and iconic places for tourists - the quarter of traditional half-timbered Petite France, the famous “suspension” bridges with impressive towers, the Vauban dam and dam, inside which the most interesting exhibitions are located. The squares and gardens close to Notre-Dame also contain a lot of interesting things: here is Kammertzel’s house, fountains on Place Kléber, and a small secluded New Church on the square of the same name, and Guttenberg Square with interesting building 16th century, where the commercial center of the Bas-Rhin department is now located.

  The imperial district of the city conveys the former monarchical grandeur of Strasbourg.

  The Place de la République, with its stunning old magnolia trees blooming in the spring, preserves several important architectural evidence of German rule. The University Palace, built near it in 1884, is an excellent example of Italian neo-Renaissance. The neoclassical opera house (originally built in 1821) was badly damaged by German shells in 1870 and rebuilt in 1888. And the embankments of Strasbourg are not only charming with old mansions and willow branches hanging down to the water, but also the center of beautiful architectural and historical monuments: the old customs building, the Saint-Martin bridge, the Church of St. Peter the Younger with amazing frescoes. Of the museums, the most significant are, of course, the Alsace Museum in the very center, on the embankment of St. Nicolas, three museums in the Roganov Palace - archaeological, fine arts and applied arts, the Notre Dame Museum, and the Museum of Modern Art. Less known, but also interesting - historical Museum, zoological museum, planetarium in the observatory building with a wonderful viewing room.

  In terms of cultural program It is also interesting to visit the National Opera, listen to the Strasbourg Philharmonic Orchestra, which has existed since 1855, or the percussion ensemble, which has earned world fame over half a century.

  The newest attractions of Strasbourg are connected with the city's present as the center of European political life: this is the Palace of Europe, built in 1977, where the European Council meets, the stunning building of the European Parliament by the river, built in 1998, reminiscent of a glass whale sticking its back out of the water; futuristic building created for the Human Rights Committee. They all look very interesting, but getting inside, naturally, is not so easy for a mere mortal.

  The annual events taking place in the city are well worth a trip to Strasbourg.

  First of all, this is, of course, the Christmas market: Strasbourg is considered to be the best in the entire region.

  The market dates back to 1570, and every year it is a whole month of fun, food, wine and illumination, which is visited by two million tourists from all over the world. Then in March there is an accordion music festival, in April - the festival of artifacts (a music fest of all genres mixed), the June big music Festival(the oldest classical music festival in France), jazz in July, contemporary music festival Musica in September-October, when the first harvest of light and invigorating white wine ripens, and the whole of Alsace bakes onion pies as a snack for it, and, finally, another jazz festival under open air Jazzdor in November.

Strasbourg is very old City and at the same time very beautiful. It’s not for nothing that its entire center, located on an island on the Il River, is included entirely in the list world heritage UNESCO. The Ile River is a tributary of the Rhine, and the border with Germany is only 3 km from Strasbourg. The city's border location determined its appearance. Throughout its history, the city often moved from Germany to France and vice versa, and absorbed all the best from these countries - German neatness and French charm, Catholicism and Protestantism.

Many people have probably heard that the European Parliament meets in Strasbourg and the Strasbourg Court of Human Rights is located. For these power structures, an ultra-modern quarter was built on the outskirts of the city. You can even visit the European Parliament building, but due to the limited time we had, we only visited the sights of the historical center of Strasbourg.

This is very easy to do on foot as you can cross the island from one end to the other in just 15 minutes on foot. But under no circumstances should you rush. The island is home to an amazing collection of architectural masterpieces. Among them are the Cathedral, Covered Bridges, Roan Palace and other vivid evidence of the secular and spiritual life of the city with more than two thousand years of history.

Grand Rue and Gutenberg Square

First of all, we went to Strasbourg Cathedral. It is the heart of the city. On the way we walked along Grand Rue, in many French cities There is a street with such a simple name. We looked at the magnificent half-timbered houses.

Grand Rue

Most streets in historical center Strasbourg is pedestrian and narrow, modern car traffic has nothing to do on such streets, you need to walk along them and enjoy the walk, looking at old houses and very modern, but at the same time harmoniously designed shop windows.

Textured door on Grand Rue

It is difficult to photograph Strasbourg, because the streets are very narrow, there is absolutely nowhere to go. Therefore, the house can only be captured in parts, alas. There are many houses in Strasbourg with such intricate bay windows, this is just one of them as an example.

Bay window on the same house

The beams of many half-timbered houses are very old and worn. Strasbourg, of course, suffered in World War II, but to a much lesser extent than Cologne, Dresden or Warsaw.

Half-timbered houses

Plants and flowers add special picturesqueness to the houses.

House in Strasbourg

Alsace is generally a very flowery place.

Flowers of Alsace

We crossed Gutenberg Square. He invented the method of printing books using typeface. In 1455, the first Bible printed by printing was published in Strasbourg. The invention of printing contributed to the prosperity of Strasbourg. Throughout the 15th and 16th centuries, the city was the capital of book printing, playing a decisive role in promoting the ideas of the Reformation.

Monument to Gutenberg at Gutenberg Square

Next to the Gutenberg monument there is an old children's carousel, almost the same one we saw in Avignon at the beginning of our year.

Carousel at Gutenberg Square

The Cathedral Square is decorated with the Kammersell House with its seventy-five carved windows. This is the biggest and most beautiful house of all the half-timbered buildings in Strasbourg. There is a restaurant there, and later we had dinner there.

House of Kammersell

Strasbourg Cathedral

Strasbourg Cathedral is simply huge, before the cathedrals in and were completed. Strasbourg Cathedral was for more than 200 years the tallest cathedral in the entire Christian world. It was built, as expected, over two and a half centuries, from 1176 to 1439. The finishing took even longer.

It is not possible to photograph it entirely with my camera, so I stole a photo of the general view of the cathedral from the Wikipedia website for clarity. Here it is photographed in the rays of the sun and therefore has a slightly yellowish tint, in fact it is pink, I even thought at first that the cathedral was made of granite, but no, it turns out it was built from local pink sandstone.

Strasbourg Cathedral, general view of the western facade

The following photographs are mine and better reflect the true color of the cathedral. Compared to the Cologne Cathedral, the Strasbourg Cathedral looks almost clean; the dust of centuries has not ingrained itself into it. By the way, for some reason there are a lot of gypsy beggars in Strasbourg. There they are sitting on the porch just under the sculptures of Virtues conquering vices.

Side portal of Strasbourg Cathedral

The stone carving is, of course, colossal.

Central portal - Passion of Christ

The interior of the cathedral is no less interesting than its intricate facade.

Strasbourg Cathedral Pulpit from 1485 by Hans Himmer The lower part of the pulpit.

When visiting the cathedral, you are immediately struck by what is preserved in it. most of authentic stained glass windows. The oldest stained glass windows from the 13th century depict successively the emperors of the Holy Roman Empire of the German nation

Stained glass

Most of all visitors to the cathedral, of course, are attracted by the astronomical clock. A whole team of Swiss watchmakers took part in the creation of this wonderful watch; they completed their work in 1570. The watch shows not only the time, but also the day, month, year, zodiac sign, moon phase, planetary positions and some astronomical data (for example, the watch accurately predicted the lunar eclipse of March 28, 2006). Every 15 minutes there is a mini show of moving figures, but the fullest show starts once a day at 12:30.

Astronomical clock with moving figures

I was amazed by the trick with paid lighting of some parts of the cathedral, I have never seen anything like this. For example, to get a better look at the astronomical clock, you need to put a 20-cent coin into a special apparatus and the light will turn on. In summer the cathedral is quite light, but in winter you will definitely have to fork out some money.

In general, European economy amazes me, in the winter we visited, they turned off the lights there immediately after the end of the service, this despite the fact that we paid for the ticket, what a waste.

Theatrical performance at the walls of the cathedral

We got to see a whole performance at the walls of the cathedral quite by accident. At first it seemed to us that the guard was about to be removed, because music started playing, a flag on a pillow was brought out, and the guard’s attire of course raised some doubts.

But what happened next was simply enchanting and very funny, the artists played great, despite the heat and their non-summer clothes.

Theater show at the cathedral walls

At the walls of the Stasburg Cathedral, they raised the English flag with jokes and jokes, and later the Queen of England herself arrived in a rare car. The action took place in English.

Artist

The Queen took a tea set from her purse and drank her five o'clock tea, as befits a queen, made a speech from the throne and washed it all down with champagne. We laughed for probably 40 minutes, all these simple actions were so comical.

An officer pours the Queen a cup of tea

Roan Palace and houses along Morocco Street

The Roan Palace is located opposite one of the facades of the cathedral. Cardinals from the Roan clan lived in the palace at one time, as many as 4 generations. Now within its walls there are three museums - Archaeological Museum, Museum of Decorative Arts, Museum of Fine Arts.

Not only the kings of Europe imitated Versailles, the cardinals also built themselves a palace in the spirit of Versailles, and they received Louis XV and Marie Antoinette there.

Roan Palace

Gothic garden of the 13th century, designed according to the instructions of Albertus Magnus

On Safyanovaya Street, the former Shoemakers Street, you can photograph every house. The photo below shows a house with carved beams.

Many windows are decorated with flowers, and almost all houses have restaurants and cafes on the ground floors.

Half-timbered houses on Safyanovaya Street

Again a house with a bay window and flowers.

Half-timbered house on Safyanovaya Street

Hot in Strasbourg

We headed along the picturesque embankment to the Petite France area.

Embankment of Strasbourg

Petite France

The Petite France district is probably the cutest in all of Strasbourg. The name is very romantic until you read the guidebook. In fact, in the area there was a hospital where they treated the “French disease”, or syphilis, which spread at the end of the 16th century due to the fault of the soldiers of the army of Francis I. The hospital no longer exists, only one name remains, which to this day bears this old quarter rugged with canals tanners.

Petite France Quarter

Numerous people walk along the river water buses, because there is a lot to see along the embankments. Ahead is a drawbridge. In the photo below, the bridge has already been opened for the passage of one of the trams.

There are cozy cafes throughout the city center

Classic meat tartare

We had dinner at Kammersel's house near Strasbourg Cathedral. Dad was ordered cabbage with sausages, I was given a salad, and Pasha was ordered French fries with meat. It seemed like you couldn’t imagine a more conservative dish, but it was with this dish that we were in trouble. The meat turned out to be just raw minced meat; it never occurred to me that you could eat or even serve raw minced meat in restaurants.

Classic meat tartare

The menu was in English and there was nothing wrong with it; there was definitely the word meat and something about sauce. Now I googled it and it turns out that French-style meat tartare is raw minced meat, so beware of tartare in France.

Covered bridges

This is another one of most picturesque places Strasbourg.

After dinner, at dusk, we went to the Covered Bridges and the Vauban Dam. Previously, there were 24 such towers on the river, now only 3 remain. The towers were built from 1230 to 1250 for the defense of the city. Previously, the bridges between the towers were fortified structures like the Ponte Vecchio bridge in Florence.

Medieval towers remaining from the city fortifications

Covered bridges opposite the towers

Around 10 pm we went to look for a tram stop and saw a disco near the walls of the Church of St. Thomas. How can people want to dance when it’s +39 outside?

Disco at the Church of St. Thomas

And in Strasbourg the fun continued, an evening light show was shown at the Strasbourg Cathedral, musicians walked the streets of the city, and theatrical performances were staged in the squares. Crowds of people continued to wander through the streets of the hot city.

Despite the terrible heat, we really liked Strasbourg, very picturesque city. I would also like to see the Orangerie Park, but we no longer had the strength, and it was late. If you have a whole day in Strasbourg, you can probably have time to cover all the sights of Strasbourg: the city center, the Orangerie park and the European Quarter. It would be nice to visit Strasbourg before Christmas; they say they have one of the best Christmas markets in Europe.

This was almost the end of our journey; the next day we went to Travemünde to board the